Bits of gold add value to almost anything, high indium values increase the worth of zinc ore and so on.

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It has been estimated on the basis of the amount of indium in zinc ore stocks, there is a world reserve base of 6, 000 tonnes.

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Commodities currently mined in the region include nickel, cobalt, platinum group metals, zinc, iron ore, and ilmenite, as well as gold.

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Droughts in Argentina are punishing producers of soybeans and cereals, while Cyclone Yasni and continued floods are driving up the prices of coal, iron ore, and zinc, key components for the massive infrastructure projects in emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil. (Read On The Verge of a Global Food Crisis).

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Massive ore deposits of copper, lead, zinc, silver, gold and other metals formed in this way.

ECONOMIST: Minerals

The Company has interests in mining for aluminum, borax, coal, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, silver, tin, uranium, zinc, titanium, dioxide feedstock, diamonds, talc and zircon.

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Citigroup estimates that the spot price is below the production costs for 15% of copper producers, 25% of aluminium producers, 50% of zinc producers, 30% of nickel producers and 10% of iron-ore producers.

ECONOMIST: Fortunes in the mining business come and go faster than ever